


First Star To the Left

by cerie



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: AU, Gen, Kidfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-25
Updated: 2010-04-25
Packaged: 2017-10-09 03:42:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/82658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cerie/pseuds/cerie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Long after Atlantis, Jack spends some time with his daughter stargazing and musing about Carter.  Kidfic, AU and shameless future fluff.</p>
            </blockquote>





	First Star To the Left

"Daddy, where Mama?"

Same question, every day, and the same answer. Now that his kid was up and toddling and generally a terror on two legs, Jack spent most of his days (And these were supposed to be the golden years--golden years his ass. He worked harder now than he ever did in the Air Force.) running behind MJ, making sure MJ didn't skin her knees, eat ice cream for dinner, bump her head or any other of a thousand disasters that could happen between sunup and sundown in the O'Neill house.

And Carter? Carter was off at work, Pentagon nowadays, with her own department to tinker around in. But for the last few weeks she'd been up in the Pegasus galaxy, helping McKay make a ZPM more efficient or some weird physics thing that Jack wasn't beginning to wrap his head around, much less explain to a two year old. He knew it was killing Carter, being away while her baby was toddling around on little legs and generally wreaking havoc in the greater Arlington area, but in some ways, it was harder on Jack.

Sure, Carter could only see her kid (and presumably her husband, but every conversation they'd had since she'd been in Atlantis had been monopolized by MJ and her million questions) via videophone but Jack was the one who'd had to explain why Mama wasn't there to tuck her in, or chase the monsters away (apparently Carter was better at that) or admire her latest piece of macaroni art. He figured it was fair enough, role reversal; he'd hardly been there for Sara and Charlie during his terrible twos.

But on nights like this, it was hard. So instead of distracting her with a book or a toy he bundled her up in flannel pajamas and a little knit hat and poured them both a big thermos of hot chocolate. Stupid, giving sugar to her this late, but Jack was willing to take his chances. That done, he led his little girl carefully up the steps to their roof and the telescope Jack had insisted on when they'd bought the place. Tonight, though, he didn't need the telescope.

He squinted into the night sky and grinned wide when he heard MJ let out a bubbly little laugh at the fact that she could see her breath and pointed to a little cluster of stars far in the distance. "See that, kiddo? All those little stars all clumped up together?"

There was no way they could actually see the Pegasus Galaxy from where they were, but MJ didn't know that and Jack was willing to suspend disbelief for a moment. MJ pointed her own finger, hand smaller but no less accurate than Jack's.

"Stars, Daddy."

"Stars, MJ. That's where Mama is. She misses you so much and she's coming home soon, promise. Until then, you can look up there and that's where she is."

MJ nodded once, firm, and Jack realized his kid was lightyears smarter than him. No surprise, really, she was half-Carter, but it was still a miracle to see.

Jack smiled sadly, wistful for a moment, and then felt a little hand tug on his.

"No cry, Daddy. Stars?"

Smart kid. He bundled her up and held her close, picking out constellation after constellation until she stilled, little sighs the only noises in the still night.


End file.
